Shell separator for semifixed ammunition



arch 18, 1947.

E. w. DE MOORE 2,417,457

SHELL SEPARATOR FOR SEMI-FIXED AMMUNITION Filed July 5, 1945 Patented Mar. 18;, 1947 more srsres rarest or ricc SHELL SEPARATOR FOR SEMWIXED AMMUNITION Eugene W. Be Moore, New York, N. Y.

Application July 5, 1943, Serial No. 493,504

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

interior powder space thereof. The device of this invention is designed to hold the round of ammunition firmly by securement of its case while a special tool applied to the shell or projectile separates it from the shell case. One form of my invention appears in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top View of the device.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view with a round of ammunition in place therein.

Fig. 3 shows the special tool used in conjunction with the device.

The device comprises a base Ill of sufficient size to permit a round, such as designated C in Fig, 2, to be placed thereon and also both feet of a person using the device. At the rear edge, the left as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. of base It is a vertical post H of a height depending upon the length of the round to be accommodated. More particularly, the top of post !2 should reach to a point above the point of juncture between the case, designated C in Fig. 2, and the projectile, designated P. Base to is provided with a circular depression I l of a diameter somewhat larger than that of the rim of the case, in. which the case is seated. A small hole 9 may be provided in depression I I and through the base, for the purpose of clearing the depression or draining any accumulation of water.

At the top of post it is secured a yoke 53 the distal edge of which is in the form of an arc of a circle having a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the projectile to be accommodated. At the distal edge of the yoke l3 and to one side of its arcuate cut-out, at point to, Fig. 1, is pivoted an arcuate collar It, the inner edge of which completes the circle of the arcuate cutout of yoke IS. The distal end of arcuate collar I may be provided with a lip projection l5, Fig. 2, which seats over a rabbet projection it on the yoke it. A tensile spring 18, Fig, 1, may be attached between the supporting yoke l3 and its arcuate collar 15, which tends to maintain the collar in open position. For holding the arcuate collar in closed position against the opening-urg- 2 ency of spring 23, a hand lever I9 is pivotally mounted to theyoke at 29 and has an inclined open slot 2! in which is received a pin 22 provided on arcuate collar 15.

The round is placed in depression ll of the base, and the arcuate collar closed about the projectile and locked by engaging pin 22 in the slot iii of hand lever IS. The purpose of the yoke l3 and its arcuate collar I5 is to provide means for guiding the projectile as it is being moved upwardly away from the case. For this reason the inside diameter of arcuate collar I5 and the arcuate cut-out of yoke i3 is somewhat larger than the diameter of the projectile P. The case C is held securely, during the said separation or removal of the projectile P therefrom, by a pair of cooperating levers 23 and 24 pivoted on the base atv 25 and 26, respectively, and provided with complementary arcuate cut-outs adapted to encircle the case. The arcuate levers 23 and 24 are conveniently closed about the case by the feet of the operatorand held firmly together. The levers may be opened orseparated in the same manner; to facilitate separation by the operators feet, one of the pair of levers, such as the one designated 24 in Fig. 1 may extend somewhat beyond the other.

Having clamped the round in place, the operator may then proceed to remove the projectile by pulling it off the shell case. To facilitate this operation, a spring tong or puller 30, shown in Fig. 3, is slipped over the nose of the shell until the distal ends 3! of the puller snap, by reason of the tensioned coiled spring 32 of the tongs, into two indentations 29, Fig. 2, provided in the projectile P. Having replaced the projectile, the round is then removed from the device; the lever l9 may be turned to release pin 2| by the operators knee, thus leaving both hands free to handle the round of ammunition.

I claim:

1. In a device for facilitating the removal of .the projectile from the case of semi-fixed ammunition, in combination, a stationary base provided with a circular recess in which the case may be seated, a vertical post carried by said base, a two-part projectile guiding ring carried horizontally by said post and positioned axially to overlie said recess at a point between the top or aid case and the top of said projectile, the opening of said ring being of a diameter relatively loosely to guide said projectile during passage of said projectile therethrough in its removal from and reassembly to said case, spring means on one said part of said ring to urge said ring to open position, lever means carried by the other said part adapted to hold said ring in closed position when rocked in one direction and to surrender said first mentioned part to said spring means when rocked in the opposite direction, and clampingmeans carried by said base for holding the case thereon while pulling force is being applied to the projectile.

2. A device for facilitating the removal of projectiles from and reassembly with their cases of semi-fixed ammunition, a stationary base having a recess to receive the base of the case, said base being of a size upon which the operator may stand in operating the device, a pair of levers pivoted at their inner ends adjacent said recess and having face portions for engagement with the case and arms extending sufliciently from said recess and positioned to be engaged by the feet of the operator to actuate the levers to grip the case and hold the same while force is being applied to the projectile, and means above the base for guiding the projectile in its movement relativeto the case.

3. A devicefor facilitating the removal of projectiles fromand'their attachment to their cases of j "semi-fixed ammunition, comprising a base having a recess therein for the reception of the lower end of the case, a two-part ring for the projectile, one of said parts being permanently supported'abo've the base, one terminal of one ring part being pivoted to a terminal of the other part, the size of the opening in the ring when closed be'ingslightly in excess of the external dia ameter oi the projectile for loosely guiding the projectile in its removal from and attachment to the case, spring means urging the ring parts to open position, a lever pivoted to the stationary part of the ring, means carried by the other part engageable by said lever to lock the ring parts in closed position when the lever is rocked in one direction and to release the pivoted ring part when rocked in the opposite direction to surrender said part to the spring means to open said ring, and means carried by the base for holding the case in position thereon while force is being applied to the projectile.

' EUGENE W. DE MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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